Two Day Magazine

Dear Natalie,

I’m Jewish and my husband is Catholic. We are unsure as to what we should do for the holidays. We just had our first baby and his family is very adamant that we celebrate the holidays with them, but I feel very uncomfortable. I want our child(ren) to enjoy both the Jewish and the Catholic traditions. How can I approach my in-laws about this? My parents are gone, so really I only have his family around.

--Hanukkah, Anyone?

Dear Hanukkah, Anyone?

The holidays can be a very tricky time of the year when you and your partner come from different backgrounds, but fear not! There is nothing wrong with wanting to include both your traditions as well as your husband’s traditions in your holiday festivities.

I think a great way to do this would be have your husband’s family over for a holiday party. Make foods that represent your traditions, and decorate your home for Hanukkah as well as for Christmas. I think it is really inspiring how you are willing to embrace his holidays and he should support you, as well.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas as a family, and your in-laws are going to have to recognize sooner or later that their daughter-in-law has traditions of her own that are worthy of celebrating, too. Stick to your guns and start your own holiday traditions, infusing both the Catholic and the Jewish traditions. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun! Light the menorah and decorate the tree! When we expand our worlds and learn to appreciate other walks of life, our own lives become richer for it.

Happy Holidays!

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